I have something really fantastic to share with you today. I’m sure you’ve heard of Liz and Elizabeth who blog over at Simple Simon and Co. (Yeah, what are the odds that you find a friend with your name, who also has the same interests and talents as you, and then run a successful blog together? Pretty darn cool. Any Ashley’s out there wanna team up? Haha!)
Those sweet gals, Liz and Elizabeth, host an incredible project every July called, “Skirting the Issue“, which is an event where we can help out our communities in a very simple way.
To participate, all you have to do is make simple SKIRTS to donate to your local foster care centers (or similar facilities in your area). The new school year is around the corner and wouldn’t it be great to help some little girls in your area feel a little more lovely in a brand new skirt? (And if you don’t know where to donate in your own area, you can send your creations to Liz and Elizabeth……and they’ll take all donations to a local center where they live in Utah.)
So, what in the world do I have to do with any of this? Well, Liz and Elizabeth have asked a large handful of bloggers to share some of their favorite skirt tutorials with their readers, to help spark ideas for some serious skirt making and donating this month. (There are no rules about making certain skirt styles…these are just ideas.) And before you click away because you think your skills aren’t up to par, making a skirt is one of the simplest projects you can make. (And here is a sizing chart to help you out!) And just think, some of these girls in foster care aren’t going to care if their hem line is a little wavy. Or if the waist band is a bit wider in some spots than in others. No biggee……you’ve got this! :)
Or, if you’re a little more confident with your machine, try something new. Stretch those little sewing fingers a bit!
Anyway, here are a few of my very favorite skirts:
The Stretchy Tube Skirt……..a seriously simple and QUICK 30 minute skirt. You could seriously pump out a bunch of these in no time!
Have a bunch of knit fabric scraps laying around? How about a pile of old Tshirts? Cut them up into strips and create this Ombre Fringe Skirt for almost no cost at all. (I made this for Elli over a year ago and she still wears and LOVES this thing!)
And one of my favorites, the Bubble Skirt (with elastic waist)…….a really fun and flouncy skirt that you can dress up or keep simple.
***Want to see more? Check out the Clothing Section of my blog. :)
I know summer gets a little hectic but pick an afternoon where the kiddos are exhausted from being outside and are relaxing indoors with a movie (or an evening after work), and pull out that sewing machine. Really, you could make several really great skirts in an afternoon…….and then let some little girl(s) know that there are people out there who care. And want to help them feel special. It won’t take much of your time or money to do so.
Be sure to check out Simple Simon and Co, for other darling skirt ideas and tutorials that they’ve been sharing this month.
I’m off to dig through my piles of fabric. Surely I can turn today into “skirt day”. :)
Thanks Liz and Elizabeth, for inspiring so many to create. And not just for themselves, but for those who are living in this world with less. I love that you guys host this each year. A big hug to both of you!
-Ashley